Today’s ESG Updates
- BHP and Rio Tinto are Joining Forces to Boost Their Iron Ore Pipeline: Aiming for up to 200 million tonnes of additional output over the next decade.
- eBay Unveils First Climate Plan, Targeting Net-Zero by 2045: Targets were set after achieving 100% renewable electricity for its facilities and a 92% reduction in operational emissions since 2019.
- Aether Fuels Raises $15 Million to Build a New SAF Plant in Singapore: The plant will convert industrial waste gas and biomethane into CORSIA-certified fuel, targeting 2,000 tonnes per year and >70% GHG reductions by 2028.
- Salesforce Signs Deals to Purchase Carbon Removal From 19 Early-Stage Suppliers: The deal includes $5 million in pre-purchase agreements to scale high-potential carbon dioxide removal solutions, as part of its $100 million pledge through 2030.
BHP and Rio Tinto join to boost Australian iron ore production
BHP and Rio Tinto plan to collaborate in Australia’s Pilbara hub to unlock up to 200 million tonnes of additional iron ore production from early next decade, focusing on Rio’s undeveloped Wunbye deposit and an expanded portion of BHP’s Yandi mine processed through Rio’s facilities. Rio Tinto Iron Ore CEO Matthew Holcz said, “Together we will extend the life of these operations… leverage existing infrastructure to unlock additional production with minimal capital requirements.”
The move aims to sustain iron ore revenues as both groups pivot toward copper and other energy-transition metals, amid still-strong Asian steel demand despite China’s fading infrastructure boom. Combined, the companies already produce over 600 million tonnes of iron ore globally, and this partnership builds on a 2023 deal covering shared tenements.
The strategy reflects a push to squeeze efficiencies from existing assets, address declining ore quality, maintain capital discipline, and recycle funds from non-core infrastructure sales, such as BHP’s recent US$2 billion stake sale in a power network.
***
Further reading: BHP and Rio Tinto are joining forces to boost iron ore pipeline
eBay unveils first climate plan, targets net-zero by 2045
eBay has released its first climate transition plan, aiming to achieve net-zero emissions across its operations and value chain by 2045. The corporation has already achieved 100% renewable electricity for its facilities by 2024 and reduced operational emissions by 92% from 2019 levels, while transportation emissions are down 21%, with a 27.5% reduction objective by 2030.
Chief Sustainability Officer Renee Morin called shipping, which accounts for 84% of eBay’s Scope 3 footprint, the “toughest challenge,” stressing that “we have to be creative to achieve our goals,” including collaborating with carriers on local pickup and shifting from air to truck transport.
The plan includes boosting renewable energy deployment, scaling low-carbon shipping solutions, and promoting resale and reuse. This puts eBay in line with Amazon and Alibaba, who have already committed to long-term carbon neutrality.
***
Further reading: eBay unveils first climate plan, targets net-zero by 2045
Klimado – Navigating climate complexity just got easier. Klimado offers a user-friendly platform for tracking local and global environmental shifts, making it an essential tool for climate-aware individuals and organizations.
Aether Fuels raises $15 million to build new SAF plant in Singapore
Aether Fuels raised $15 million in convertible notes to accelerate Project Beacon, its first commercial-scale SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) plant in Singapore. The plant targets 50 barrels per day and ~2,000 tonnes of CORSIA-certified SAF annually from industrial waste gas and biomethane, with lifecycle GHG (Greenhouse Gas) reductions of >70% compared to conventional jet fuel.
Engineering is underway, construction is slated for 2026, and commercial operations are planned for 2028. CEO Conor Madigan said Aether “closed 2025 with strong momentum across leadership, technology, and project execution,” highlighting new investors Aster Ventures and Singapore’s EDBI, as well as progress on pilot and demo projects in the US. The round, which brings total funding above $60 million, also includes senior hires and a planned Singapore R&D centre for 2026 to support regional expansion.
***
Further reading: Aether Fuels Raises $15 Million to Build New SAF Plant in Singapore
Salesforce signs deals to purchase carbon removal from 19 early-stage suppliers
Salesforce, via Milkywire, has signed $5 million in carbon removal pre-purchase deals with 19 early-stage suppliers across biochar, BioCCS, next-gen DAC (Direct Air Capture), enhanced rock weathering, biomass storage, and mineralisation, backing “first-of-a-kind and research-intensive projects” not yet served by mainstream buyers. The agreements contribute to Salesforce’s First Movers Coalition pledge to contract $100 million of CO₂ removal solutions by 2030 to help scale CDR (Carbon Dioxide Removal).
Jamila Yamani, Salesforce Director of Climate and Energy, said companies must “invest in solutions before they are fully proven at scale” and that the partnership helps move “durable carbon removal from concept toward commercial reality,” including the use of AI tools for monitoring and scalability. Projects include Kairos Carbon’s wet organic-waste BioCCS pathway, DAC firms Norma and Arbon, and Flux’s mineral feedstock that doubles as a fertilizer, improving soil health and harvests. Milkywire’s Robert Höglund framed the strategy as “enabling technologies and the ecosystem that we need tomorrow.”
***
Further reading: Salesforce Signs Deals to Purchase Carbon Removal from 19 Early-Stage Suppliers
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of impakter.com — Cover Photo Credit: Kefentse Molotsane via Pexels
